Mobile runway



Dec- 2 1 c. H. HELDENBRAND MOBILE RUNWAY Filed June 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 F fl n n a i E. PH

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C- 2, 1931- c. H. HELDENBRAND 1,337,366

MOBILE RUNWAY Filed June 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 U'E'EDSTATES CARI H. HELDENBRAND, OF AKRON", OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. IE. GOODRICH COMPANY,

PATENT OFFICE OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MOBILE RUNWAY Application. filed June 24,

This invention relates to runways, and more especially to mobile runways which, for example, may be positioned between railway cars standing on adjacent tracks to permit one of the cars to be loaded or unloaded by trucking merchandise from, to or through another car.

lhe invention is of especial utility for relatively long runways such as are required where the railway tracks are relatively far apart, as where one track is inside a building and the adjacent track is out-side. Such long runways require to be of such rugged construction, to support heavy loads, that manual handling and positioning of them is a slow and laborious task.

The chief object of this invention is to provide an improved runway assembly including simple mechanical means for manipulating the same. Other objects include facility of operation; the saving of time and labor in manipulating runways; and the convenient disposition of the runway during periods that it is not in use.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved runway, in its preferred form, in association with railway cars standing on adjacent tracks.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation, on a larger scale, of windlass mechanism constituting a part of my improved runway.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 10, 10 are freight cars positioned in transverse alignment upon parallel railway tracks 11, 11 adjacent a loading platform 12, and 13 designates generally my improved runway extending from one car to the other through the usual side doorways of the cars. The runway is connected by cables 14, 14 to a carriage 15 supported from an overhead trackway 16, said trackway being carried by suitable trestles, such as the trestle 17 The trackway 16 is positioned between and parallel to the tracks 11, 11, the arrangement being such that the runway 13 may be shifted back and forth to bridge the space 1930. Serial No. 463,430.

between freight cars which may be standing at different points along the tracks 11.

The cables 14 are connected to windlasses 18, 18 mounted on the runway 13 at each side thereof at its middle, the arrangement vpermitting the raising and lowering of the runway to facilitate the positioning of. it in association with the freight cars. Each windlass 18 comprises a deeply grooved pulley 19 to which one of the cables 14 is secured, and

23 mounted upon a shaft 24, the latter being T suit-ably journaled in the housing 21, and provided exteriorly thereof with a crank 25. The arrangement is such that the pulleys 19 are concurrently rotatedby manual turning of the crank 25, the cables 14 thereby being I wound into the grooves of the respective pulleys 19, or unwound therefrom when the crank is turned in the opposite direction. Winding of the cables 14 onto the pulleys 19 raises the runway 13, and one revolution of the pulleys usually lifts it sufiiciently to permit it to be manually manipulated, to turn it to a vertical position, for example, which may be accomplished by swinging the assembly on the cables, from the overhead carriage, to clear one end of the runway from the floor of the adjacent car. Since the cables engage the pulleys tangentially, at one side of the center of gravity of the structure as defined by the shaft 20, the natural tendency of the structure, when supported by the cables alone, is to assume a vertical position with its heavy end, the left as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, lowermost.

hen not in use, the runway is suspendedin a vertical position, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1, and to assure that it will be in equilibrium in this position, respective sheaves 26, 26 are journaled in the windlass housings 21 upon spindles 27, 27

and are so positioned with relation to the pulleys 19 as to cause the cables 14 to stand radially with relation to said pulleys, and parallel to the runway, when the latter is in vertical position. A hook or latch 28 is mounted upon one end of the runway, and suitable posts 29 or the like are positioned at spaced intervals between the tracks 11 and provided with eyes or the like 30 with which the hook 28 may be engaged for holding the runway stationary in its vertical, inoperative position.

The runway itself may be of any suitable construction to provide the desired strength. As shown it consists of a bridge-like structure comprising parallel, slightly spacedapart floor boards 31, 31 secured at each end between upper and lower stringers or joists 32, 32. The upper stringers serve as lateral guard-rails for the runway in addition to giving longitudinal strength to the structure. The improved runwayis of simple, rugged construction and is easily and quickly manipulated by one person without laborious effort. In its inoperative position it occupies but little space, and presents no obstruction to traffic on the tracks, yet it is conveniently positioned and available for immediate use.

The invention may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, as I do not limit my claims wholly to the specific construction shown and described. a

I claim: 1. A mobile runway adapted to bridge the space between cars standing on adjacent tracks, said runway comprising a bridge-like structure, suspension means for supporting the same, a carriage from which said means are suspended, and an overhead trackway for said carriage, said trackway being positioned between and parallel to the car tracks.

runway is supported solely thereby, substan- 7 tially in vertical position, for maintaining the equilibrium of the runway.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of June, 1930.

CARL H. HELDENBRAND.

2. A mobile runway comprising a bridge- 1 like structure, suspension cables for support- 7 ing the same, and pulley means on the runway for reeling the cables to raise or lower the structure, said cables and pulley means being arranged for pivotal movement of said structure thereabout.

3. A mobile runway comprising a bridgelike structure, suspension means connected to said structure adjacent to but at one side of its center of gravity, and means for holding the structure in equilibrium, in vertical position, when it is supported solely by said means.

4. A mobile runway comprising a bridgelike structure, respective windlasses mounted upon the opposite sides thereof in its middle region, and suspension cables connected to said windlasses.

5. A mobile runway as defined in claim 4 including means for operating said windlasses concurrently.

6. A mobile runway comprising a bridge- (35 like structure, respective windlasses mount- 

